Editorial: Walter Guillory betrayed public trust when he skimmed funds

Former Lafayette Housing Authority executive director Walter Guillory didn't just break the law. He violated the public trust. And in doing so, he betrayed those who believed in him and those who depended on him.

His recent guilty plea on federal bribery and bid violation charges could cost him up to 10 years in prison for the bribery conviction, 20 years on the bid law violations and fines of up to $250,000 on each charge. Federal Judge Elizabeth Foote has already ordered him to repay $100,000 he skimmed from fundraisers.

Hefty penalties, but they can't bring back what was lost.

Guillory's tenure at the Lafayette Housing Authority began in 1999 on a hopeful note.

LHA board chairman Buddy Webb remembers Guillory as being passionately altruistic. He thought the new director could "save the world."

But he didn't.

It's not clear at what point Guillory's apparent devotion to his mission turned into avarice.

"Walter was a giver who surrounded himself with takers," Webb said. "And he became a taker."

And those he took from were the economically disadvantaged people he was supposed to be helping.

Guillory was able to maintain the fašade for the better part of a decade, and even became the part-time executive director of the Opelousas Housing Authority while simultaneously serving as LHA executive director.

Perhaps "serving" is a poor choice of words.

It could be said the most egregious betrayal came in the form of baseball fundraisers to benefit programs for youth living in public housing. In the end, he wound up cheating poor children.

According to plea deal records, between 2006 and 2010 Guillory required housing authority vendors to contribute annually to the fundraisers in exchange for LHA and OHA contracts.

Guillory kept half the money, totaling $100,000, for himself.

Finally, in 2009, an independent audit of the housing authority revealed management and financial irregularities. Guillory subsequently stepped down from his position.

It is a sad commentary on some of the people who have been entrusted with the responsibility for those agencies that are supposed to help the poor in two cities.

It is normal to expect those who represent businesses to be fair and honest. And it is entirely reasonable to hold public officials and heads of government agencies to even higher standards.

When they fall short, it affects us all.

The root cause of this travesty was dishonesty and greed, coupled with opportunity.

And that opportunity was facilitated by an apparent lack of transparency in the operation of the agency that permitted employees to falsify bids and hide the fact that at least $100,000 in fundraiser proceeds had vanished.

Guillory had even tried to hide the audit that eventually led to his undoing, according to Webb.

At the same time, it is somewhat difficult to understand how the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the umbrella agency for LHA and OHA, failed to detect any irregularities in the paperwork the agencies turned in.

Guillory's case proves it's not hard to measure ability in a job candidate. But it's often difficult to gauge things like character and ethics. It's hard to predict who will be worthy of the public's trust.

That's why agencies like LHA and OHA and their employees need stricter accountability, greater transparency in their operations - and sadly, less trust.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Editorial: Walter Guillory betrayed public trust when he skimmed funds

Former Lafayette Housing Authority executive director Walter Guillory didn't just break the law. He violated the public trust. And in doing so, he betrayed those who believed in him and those who